PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Marieke Thomas, High School Teacher from NYC Department of Education (DOE)
10:19:00
·
101 sec
Marieke Thomas, a high school teacher with 13 years of experience in the NYC Department of Education, urges the council to pass the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal in its entirety. She highlights the struggle of teachers to afford housing in the city, which leads to experienced educators leaving their positions.
- Thomas emphasizes the need for housing of all types, including affordable housing for students and market-rate housing for teachers.
- She shares examples of colleagues who left their teaching positions due to housing costs, especially after starting families.
- The constant turnover of teachers is described as harmful to students and newer teachers who need experienced mentors.
Marieke Thomas
10:19:00
Hi.
10:19:00
My is Maria Thomas.
10:19:02
I'm a high school teacher in the New York City DOE.
10:19:04
I'm currently in my 13th year teaching.
10:19:07
I live in a market rate studio apartment on the upper east side.
10:19:10
I'm struggling with sports CVS.
10:19:11
I urge you to pass it in its entirety.
10:19:14
In my 13 years working for the Department of Education, I've noticed a really common pattern, which is that a lot of the most amazing dedicated and inspiring teachers that I've worked with leave the city after about like 5, 6, 7 years of teaching.
10:19:28
And the number one reason is the cost of housing, especially the cost of housing for families.
10:19:32
So just as an example, one of the most, like, incredible chemistry teacher at my school after she had a baby She and her husband moved for an apartment in Harlem to a 2 bedroom apartment in Stamford, Connecticut, where she committed over an hour to get to school.
10:19:46
And after 2 years of doing that, she left the New York City Department of Education and got a teaching job in another district where she would have a shorter commute.
10:19:54
This has happened many times for some of my most passionate former coworkers, which has led to a constant turn of teachers.
10:20:01
It's harmful for students.
10:20:02
It's harmful for newer teachers who need experienced mentors.
10:20:05
Teachers shouldn't have to choose between staying at the schools they love with the children they care about and being able to raise their own kids in an apartment where they can afford rent.
10:20:14
Our city desperately needs housing of all types.
10:20:17
We need affordable housing for our students.
10:20:20
Right?
10:20:20
This is incredibly important for them as well.
10:20:22
We've been losing students over the last decade as their families get priced out of the city.
10:20:26
So we need affordable housing for them.
10:20:28
We also need market rate housing for teachers.
10:20:30
Right?
10:20:30
Teachers mostly live in market rate apartments.
10:20:34
We need to build more housing of all types.
10:20:37
I strongly encourage you to vote yes for all of the status proposals.
